A Wild Legacy
by Geek4ALivin
Summary: Astraluna City is in ruins. The only survivor is a young girl named Julia Wildstar. Fairy Tail is trying to piece together what happened and reunite Julia with her family. Little do they know, the truth of her past would be so heartbreaking.
1. Story Opener

Lucy Heartfilia sat in the Fairy Tail infirmary, watching over a tiny sleeping figure in one of the beds. Beside her stood Mirajane Strauss, frowning with concern. The small girl lying in the bed had bandages from her head to her toes. Lucy, along with her team, had found the girl in a ruined city on their last mission. Their mission had been in that city, but they had arrived to it in its ruined state. After a few hours of investigation, the child was all that they found--well, her and a well worn stuffed elephant clutched in her arms.

Erza was currently with Master Makarov filling him in on their grim discovery. Natsu and Gray were down in the guild hall, sitting with grim looks on their faces. They, along with Erza, were setting up another mission to go and look around the site some more. They wanted to figure what had happened as well as find any other survivors.

\--x--

"The poor thing," Mirajane whispered, a hand clutched to her chest. "I wonder what happened..."

Lucy hummed her agreement. "She's been unconscious almost the entire time. There was a brief moment when we first found her, but it wasn't long before she was out again. We don't even know her name."

The small girl still clutched at her tattered elephant despite her being asleep. It was covered in all sorts of dirt and dust--possibly thanks to whatever had demolished the city. Any attempts to gently take it had been met with strong resistance. Despite her condition, she held tight to the toy.

"Her magic so small," Lucy commented.

"And incredibly unstable," Mirajane added. "It's all over the place, but in such a small quantity..."

"Hey Lucy," Natsu called from the doorway. The blonde turned her attention towards the dragon slayer. "Me, Erza, and Gray are going back to Astraluna City to look around some more. You coming or staying here?"

Lucy gazed back at the sleeping child, her face still covered in worry. "I'll stay. I want to be here when she wakes up."

Natsu nodded, looking solemn. "Alright." He turned and left the room, calling for Happy. Mirajane rested a hand on Lucy's shoulder.

"Let me know when she wakes up."

"You got it," Lucy replied as her guild-mate also left the room. She watched Mira leave and then turned her attention back to the girl. Lucy scooted her seat closer to the bed and leaned over, gently brushing hair from the girl's face. "Who are you?"

**X--x--X**

**Alright you guys, I know this chapter is quite short and I'm sorry for that. But it was meant to be a sort of short introductory chapter into the story. I promise, from here on out, the chapters will be MUCH longer. Hope to see your reviews and support!**

**The Ever-Lurking Ninja,**

**Rhys**


	2. The First Puzzle Piece

Chapter One: The First Puzzle Piece

It was well into the next day before the mystery girl from Astraluna City finally awoke. Lucy was still in her chair, bent over onto the bed with a blanket draped over her shoulders. Mirajane was quietly placing a new flower in the vase beside the bed.

Eyelids fluttered as the girl slowly came out of her comatose state. She blinked several times as she slowly sat up. Mirajane gasped and knelt beside the bed.

"Lucy, wake up!" she chirped, helping to steady the waking child. "Nice and slow..."

Lucy looked up sleepily, but quickly became alert upon seeing the child sitting up. She rubbed her eyes and shed her blanket. "You're awake! I'm so glad!" Lucy exclaimed.

The girl shied away from the two older wizards, hiding her face in the stuffed elephant. Her eyes were a bright vibrant shade of green. One held a nasty bruise all around it as they darted around the room, taking in her surroundings. Fear was slowly creeping onto her face as she recognized no one and nothing in the room. Tears filled her eyes quickly.

"Oh no, don't cry!" Lucy said hurriedly. "You're safe now. My name is Lucy and this is Mirajane. We're wizards with Fairy Tail."

The trio sat in silence as the girl continued looking around. She no longer looked ready to cry, but it was clear she was still uncertain. The two female wizards exchanged a few glances, both unsure of what to say.

Mirajane took the lead. "Can you tell us your name?" Her voice was soft and her smile was tender. Green eyes studied the eldest Strauss with restrained curiosity. Her face would scrunch and unscrunch as she contemplated Mirajane's request. She switched her gaze to Lucy, a tiny bit of recognition crossing her face.

"It's okay," Lucy coaxed with a soft voice. "You must remember me finding you..."

The girl nodded slightly, her gaze flicking towards Mirajane every few seconds. Lucy offered her most reassuring smile.

"Mirajane won't hurt you," she said. "We just want to know your name..."

More silence. And then, in the tiniest whisper, "Julia."

"That's a pretty name," Mirajane said with a smile. "Are you hungry? Or thirsty?" Julia hid her face in her elephant, but nodded in response to Mirajane. "I'll be right back then."

Lucy let her disappear out of the room before turning back to Julia. She still clung to her elephant. Lucy studied it with a frown.

"We need to wash that poor thing," she said, giving its ear a playful tug. Julia jerked it back and dove beneath the blanket with it.

Lucy sighed and leaned back in her chair. Julia peeked from under the covers, her green eyes wide as they peered at Lucy. She was clearly very attached to the tattered toy. Lucy watched as Julia slowly resurfaced. She frowned upon sensing no change in Julia's magic. It was still small and hectic.

"Here we are!" announced Mirajane as she entered the room with a tray of food. Julia flinched at her sudden appearance, but quickly recovered upon seeing the tray of food. Mirajane placed the tray in Julia's lap and pulled up her own chair. "Lucy, Master would like to speak with you. I'll sit here with Julia."

Lucy nodded and stood. She began walking out of the room, pausing in the doorway to look back. Mirajane was helping Julia drink from the cup.

"Slow down silly," Mirajane giggled as she took the cup and wiped the girl's face. "If you drink it all too fast you might choke."

Mirajane watched Lucy leave, noticing Julia looking a little alarmed. "Its okay, she'll be right back. I promise." The young girl seemed to accept Mirajane's reassurance, relaxing her posture some. Her green eyes turned towards the food in front of her. She relinquished her hold on the elephant and picked up her fork. Her hands were a little shaky, but that didn't stop her from gobbling it down quickly. As soon as she finished, Mirajane removed the tray. Julia grabbed her elephant again, but Mirajane let out a squeaky protest.

"Let me wipe your face first sweetheart! You don't want to get food all on it."

Mirajane didn't wait for permission and proceeded to wipe the squirming child's face. Julia grumbled and squeaked as she forcibly had her face wiped clean. Her eyes narrowed briefly as she settled back onto her pillow.

"I'll be right back," said Mirajane. "Let me go put this tray away. Don't go anywhere, okay?"

Julia sat wordlessly watching as Mirajane whisked the empty tray from the room. Now that her tummy was full and she had slept a good bit, she felt a little more energized. Ignoring the instructions on staying put, Julia rolled out of the bed. She tucked her elephant under one arm and began slowly walking across the room. Her small legs were a little shaky, but as long as she took it slow she wouldn't fall. Julia paused at the door frame, leaning on it as she peered around the corner. There was noise coming from down the hall. Curiosity propelled her onward and before long she found herself looking out at the guild hall. There were so many people! She stood close to the wall, clutching her elephant tighter.

Where was Mirajane? And Lucy?

Her eyes widened as--in typical Fairy Tail style--a brawl began. Chairs and tables were sent flying as people began shouting. She shrank back, cowering against the wall.

And then they began using magic.

To other people this seems like an unimportant detail, but for Julia it wasn't. Paralyzing terror took over her features as she curled into a ball, clutching her elephant with a death grip. She began sobbing as flashbacks bombarded her mind.

Mirajane spotted her just as the brawl had begun. She assumed Julia would be fine for the moment, but as she watched she knew something was wrong. When the young girl curled up and began sobbing in terror, Mirajane ran to her. She scooped her up and carried her back to the infirmary with haste. The noise of the brawl faded as she shut the door behind her and took Julia back to her bed. Mirajane sat on the bed, cradling Julia as she sobbed into her elephant. Her whole body trembled and her magic was going haywire.

"Sshhh, now," Mirajane said softly, holding tightly to Julia. "Its okay, I've got you...you're safe..."

After several minutes of consoling Julia, Mirajane calmed her down and managed to put her to sleep with a quick bit of magic. She put Julia back in bed and watched her curl up, holding tight to her, already, trademark toy. A deep frown formed on Mirajane's face as she covered Julia with a blanket.

"She seemed fine," she murmured to herself as she sat down beside the bed. "All that fighting wasn't really scaring her...at least...not until..."

Mirajane gasped at the thought, eyes tearing up in sympathy. She reached forward, brushing some of Julia's dark brown hair from her face.

"You poor thing," she whispered, " What could have been so terrible that it made you afraid of magic?"


	3. Chapter Two

Chapter Two: 

Lucy stood in Master Makarov's office. She had just finished filling him in on all that had transpired with Julia. Makarov was sitting quietly with his eyes closed in thought. His arms were crossed over his chest.

"That poor girl," he said finally. "I cannot imagine what she has endured."

Lucy nodded. "It must've been terrible. I wonder how long she was there..."

Makarov turned his gaze to the Celestial Wizard. The news she and her team had brought back to Fairy Tail was troubling. An entire city had been reduced to rubble and its inhabitants were either all dead or missing.

"We shouldn't press young Julia for answers too quickly," Makarov instructed. "There is no telling how much she has actually suffered and we don't want to push her."

Lucy nodded in agreement. "I agree Master. I want her to get better, so maybe then she can share what happened..."

"Until she is ready, I suppose we will watch over her," said Makarov. "See if you can learn more about who she is. That might be easier to coax from her until she is ready to tell us what happened in Astraluna."

Lucy nodded, turning on her heel to leave the office. Her brow furrowed in thought as she walked. The Master was right. It would take time to learn about what had decimated Astraluna City. Lucy made her way to the infirmary, dodging the occasional flying object along the way. Once back in the infirmary, she frowned upon seeing Julia back asleep. Worry was plastered across Mirajane's face as she sat staring at Julia.

"Mira?" Lucy called, sitting in her chair. "What's wrong? Was she still super worn out?"

Mirajane shook her head. "No, I had to put her to sleep."

"What? Why?"

Mirajane hesitated, staring at Julia still. Slowly her gaze turned to Lucy, the look on her face worrying the Celestial Wizard even more.

"Well, when I took her tray back to the kitchen," Mirajane began. "I told her to stay put, but she ended up wandering out into the guild hall." She paused, glancing at Julia before continuing. "At first she was fine, but then a fight broke out--but she was still fine, just a little unnerved by it I guess. But all of the sudden she started freaking out and broke down into terrified hysterics."

Lucy frowned. "What made her cry? Surely no one hit her, right?"

"Oh, no not at all!" Mirajane exclaimed. "Its nothing life threatening but it is heartbreaking..."

The pair fell into silence, both watching the small girl sleep. Her breathing was steady, but her face was scrunched slightly; possibly due to a bad dream. Lucy fidgeted anxiously, waiting for her guild mate to continue.

"So...what then?"

Mirajane turned back to Lucy, tears brimming in her eyes. "She's scared of magic, Lucy."

Lucy's mouth dropped open and her brown eyes widened in shock. She was unsure about what to say or how to react. Her mind was spinning with a thousand questions, but one seemed most prevalent.

"What could have made her afraid of magic?" Lucy asked in a hoarse whisper.

Mirajane shook her head. "I'm not sure, but whatever it was; it _has_ to be what happened to Astraluna..."

Lucy moved to sit on the bed. "Oh Julia," she whispered, stroking her hair gently. The motion roused the young girl from her magic induced slumber. She blinked a few times, but then flinched suddenly. Terror briefly dominated her features, but as soon as she spotted Lucy and Mirajane she seemed to settle down. In a flash, she buried herself in Lucy's lap, clutching tight to the blonde and elephant, of course. Lucy wrapped her arms around Julia, smiling slightly.

"You okay?" Lucy asked softly as Julia looked up at her. "Had a bit of a scare earlier did you?"

Julia blinked slowly, vibrant green eyes studying Lucy. Eventually she nodded, pulling her elephant closer to her.

"But I hear Mira made it better," Lucy added. "See? I told you Mira was nice."

Julia shifted her gaze to Mirajane who offered a reassuring smile and small wave. After a brief moment of silently staring at Mirajane, Julia decided to leap in her lap and hug her tightly. Mirajane gasped, but didn't hesitate to return the hug.

"You're welcome," said Mirajane as Julia released her and sat up.

"Do you think you can answer some questions for us?" Lucy asked. "We just want to know more about you." She added when she saw the worry flash onto Julia's face.

"Yeah," Mirajane affirmed. "Can you tell us how old you are?"

Julia thought for a moment before holding up a hand with all her fingers extended. "Five," she said quietly.

"Oh such a big girl!" cooed Mirajane. "Does your elephant have a name?"

Julia looked down at her stuffed toy. "His name is Harry because he's a furry elephant." Her voice came out stronger and more clear. She was beginning to get more comfortable with the Fairy Tail women.

"Harry could really use a bath," Lucy commented. Julia looked down at it for a moment and the back at Lucy. You could see the wheels turning as she thought about what Lucy had said.

"You won't take him?" she asked, looking back at Lucy.

"Of course not silly!" Mirajane interjected. "We just want to clean him up and you can have him right back."

"Promise?"

"You bet!" Lucy replied. "We won't let anything happen to him."

Julia still hesitated for a moment, but finally handed the elephant over to Lucy. She snuggled back into Mirajane's embrace, twirling a strand of her white hair. Mirajane smiled and gave her a reassuring squeeze.

Lucy carried the elephant out of the infirmary and down to the wash house. She gave it a quick wash and made sure it was completely dry. Once it was finished, she examined it more closely. There were initials embroidered on one of the elephant's feet.

**_JW_**

"These must be Julia's initials," Lucy surmised. She turned and walked back to the infirmary. She found Mirajane still holding Julia. "Here we are Julia!"

The five year old perked up and happily grabbed her elephant. She hugged it close, burying her face in it. "It smells so clean now!"

"I bet it does," Lucy replied. "Are those your initials on his foot?"

Julia nodded, showing the foot to Mirajane. She traced a finger along the letters with a smile.

"What's the W stand for?" asked Mirajane.

"Wildstar," Julia answered as she crawled back onto her bed. She tucked herself back into the bed.

Lucy and Mirajane exchanged glances. If Julia was telling the truth, then the Astraluna incident was far more troubling than they originally thought.

"I'm going to talk to the Master," said Mirajne as she stood up. "You be good for Lucy."

Julia nodded, yawning. She settled back into the bed and was quickly back asleep.

**X--x--X**

**Okay guys, here's chapter two! I haven't given it a name, but it's a bit fluffier than what I had intended. Ah well, that just means the next chapter should be much meatier.**

**Thanks to all!**

**Rhys**


	4. Wildstar

**Hiya readers, Rhys here! Thanks to all who are reading. Reviews are always welcomed! I'm also open to suggestions or ideas. Sidenote: If you guys spot any typos, please let me know. My phone likes to be a jerk and I sometimes miss the mistakes. Thanks again and I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**X--x--X**

Chapter Three: Wildstar

Erza, Gray, and Natsu were combing the ruins of Astraluna City in hopes of some clues. Erza soared above the site in her Heaven's Wheel Armor while the other two surveyed on foot. Natsu was investigating the area where they found Julia. There was considerably less debris in this part of the city.

Natsu looked up at Erza and yelled. "See anything Erza!?"

After a few circles around the ruins, Erza glided down to land beside Natsu. Her armor changed back to her normal attire.

"This appears to be the center of the catastrophe," she replied. "Whatever happened must have originated from here."

They looked around at the area directly around them. Natsu sniffed around a few spots before he tugged a nameplate from a pile of rocks. He handed it to Erza. She dusted it off so she could read it.

"The Wildstar family," she read. "No way..."

Gray joined them. "Find anything?"

Erza turned her gaze to him, an intense look on her face. He and Natsu exchanged glances as she finally spoke.

"If this nameplate is right, then we're dealing with a legendary wizard."

"Legendary? Whoa cool!" Natsu explained. "Who is it?"

"Rowan Wildstar."

Gray balked at the name. "You can't be serious!"

"Who?"

Gray smacked Natsu on the head. "You idiot! Rowan Wildstar wields incredibly rare magic that's so powerful he could do all of this with the snap of his fingers!"

"Whoa really!?" Natsu drawled, a mischievous look in his eye. "I'd love to have a battle with him!"

Erza ignored Natsu and studied the nameplate. "This plate suggests he had a house here. Why would he demolish his own hometown?"

The two male wizards fell silent, both appeared to be thinking. Erza made a good point, but by the looks of the ruins it had come from the Wildstar resident.

"Maybe someone attacked him?" Gray suggested. "And their fight leveled the city?"

"But then where are the people?" countered Natsu. "There's a faint scent of them all, but there aren't any trails that lead them out of the city."

"And if they were dead, we would have found their bodies," Erza added. "Hmm, we need more information..."

"Yeah, but where are we going to get it?" asked Gray.

"Lets start by learning more about Rowan," Erza replied. "I think if maybe we can learn more about his magic, we can compare it to the damage here."

"And where can we do that?" asked Natsu.

Erza looked over at the dragon slayer. "We're gonna have to pay a visit to Blue Pegasus."

x--x

Mirajane Strauss sat in the guild master's office. Having just learned Julia's surname, she knew she needed to speak with Makarov immediately.

"If what she says is true," said Makarov. "Then this is far more complicated than we first believed. She must be the daughter of Rowan--and if she is, then we are dealing with a _very_ powerful wizard."

Mirajane hummed her agreement. "Whatever happened was strong enough to overpower him..."

Makarov appeared grim. "Rowan Wildstar...It's been some time since I have heard anything about that rogue wizard."

Mirajane nodded as, once again, silence fell upon them. Both wizards were deep in thought about the events currently unfolding. Mirajane began to frown as she thought more about Julia's situation. Makarov made a few grumbling noises as he crossed his arms and closed his eyes in thought.

"There is nothing we can do until we have more information," he said finally. "Keep an eye on young Julia. She may be our only source of intel at this point."

Mirajane stood with a nod of agreement and left Master Makarov's office. She stopped by the infirmary to peek in on Julia and Lucy. The younger girl was fast asleep while the older one read a book beside the bed. She kept moving though and soon found herself seated at the bar with a communication lacrima in front of her. Mirajane used the lacrima to get a hold of Erza. The red head's face popped up in the orb.

"Erza, how are things on your end?"

"We have a lead that we're going to follow up on at the Blue Pegasus guild."

Erza held the nameplate up for Mirajane to see.

"Yes, Julia finally woke up and spoke with Lucy and me," said Mirajane. At the mention of Julia, Erza seemed to be confused briefly, but quickly recovered.

"Julia is the girl we saved?"

"Yes, her name," Mirajane's eyes darted back and forth to make sure no one was listening and then lowered her voice to a whisper. "Her name is Julia Wildstar."

"Wildstar," Erza repeated. "Has she said anything about what happened?

Mirajane shook her head. "No, and with her only being five we don't want to push her."

"Understandable, but try to get at least something from her. I'll let you all know what we find out with Blue Pegasus."

The conversation ended immediately, leaving Mirajane to sigh with dismay. Even though Erza was right, she knew she couldn't press Julia for answers. The girl was fragile and had trust issues--all understandable considering her circumstance.

And then there was her fear of magic.

The very thought made Mirajane's heart sink some. Magic was so important to how everything-and everyone-worked, she couldn't imagine life without it. Letting out a heavy sigh, she turned and headed back to the infirmary. Once there, she made sure to close the door behind her.

"Tomorrow, when she's feeling better," Mirajane instructed. "We will have to ask her some questions."

"But--

"I know she's very fragile right now, but we need answers so we can help what needs helping."

Lucy gaze dropped to the floor. "I know, but she's just so young and I don't want her to suddenly fear us too..."

"I feel the same way," Mirajane said, resting a comforting hand on Lucy's shoulder. "But in order to move forward and help Julia, we have to get her to open up--and soon."

**X--x--X**

**Okay guys, here is your third chapter! I hope I'm setting this up right. I have many plot twists in mind about how i want this story to go. As always, read and review please! And if there are any typos, please let me know. Thanks in advance!****Rhys**


	5. Chapter 4

**Hey guys, I'm just crankin out these chapters! Hope you all are enjoying them. Things might get a little fluffy before I move our story forward. Don't worry, I'll hide some goodies in the fluffy chapters that you'll need to catch in order to solve this mystery.****As always, please read and review!**

**Rhys**

**X--x--X**

Chapter Four

After several days of recovery in the infirmary, Julia was finally cleared to leave it. She would be staying with Lucy and when Lucy went out on jobs, Mirajane would watch over her. They figured anyone else would terrify her since they hadn't shared her fear of magic with the others.

As of now, Lucy was helping Julia get dressed in an outfit Mirajane had purchased. It was one of many that she had gone out and gotten. Once she was dressed, she grabbed her elephant and turned to face Lucy with a big smile. Her eye was still bruised up, but there were far less bandages on her now.

"You all ready?" Lucy asked, holding out her hand.

Julia grabbed it eagerly. "Yeah! Can we tell Mira bye before we go?"

"Of course!" Lucy replied as they walked from the room.

It took only a few moments to reach the guild hall where everyone was gathered. Mirajane was behind the bar cleaning some of the mugs. Julia let out a squeak and sprinted for her. With a sort of tripping leap, she bundled into Mirajane's legs, clasping her dress. Both of them giggled as Mirajane kneeled down for a hug. Julia wrapped her arms around Mirajane's neck and allowed herself to be picked up.

"You leaving me?" Mirajane asked with a fake pout.

"Uh-huh! Lucy is taking me to her house!" Julia chattered happily. "She said we could come back and see you whenever I wanted, too!"

"Good, I'm so glad!" said Mirajane, putting down Julia. "You be good for her okay?"

Julia nodded eagerly and turned to Lucy, grasping her hand. Lucy smiled down at her and then looked back at Mirajane. "I'll let you know how our first night goes tomorrow. Natsu and the others should be back soon right?"

"I should think so," replied Mirajane. "I'm eager to see what they have learned as well. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask okay?"

Lucy smiled and waved, nodding slightly. She looked down at Julia, who returned her smile as they set off to Lucy's house.

It was a short walk from the guild toto Lucy's home. Once she got the door opened, Julia dashed inside. She ooh'd and awe'd at everything in the room as she ran around to look. Lucy smiled, shutting the door behind her.

"You live here?" Julia asked, turning to look at Lucy.

"Yep! Do you like it?"

"Yeah where do I sleep?" the five year old asked, turning to look around the room some more.

Lucy paused to think. "I guess we will have to make you a bed right next to mine. Is that going to be okay?"

Julia tossed Harry the elephant onto Lucy's bed and climbed up herself. She scooped up the stuffed toy and began bouncing on the bed. Lucy sighed and sat down at her desk watching Julia bounce around.

"Be careful," Lucy warned. "Don't want you to get hurt again."

Julia stopped bouncing and looked at Lucy with a tilted head. A wide, mischievous smile crept onto the five year old's face. For some strange reason, Lucy suddenly felt very uneasy.

x--x

Erza, Natsu, and Gray wasted no time in making their way to the Blue Pegasus guild. Master Bob greeted them in his usual friendly manner. After a quick exchange, he pointed the Fairy Tail wizards in the direction of one of his guild's wizards. With a brief thank you, they made their way across the room.

"Hibiki Lates," Erza announced. "We need your help."

The member of Blue Pegasus turned to face the trio, briefly appearing surprised before breaking into a friendly smile.

"Its been a while," he said as he stood.

"It certainly has," said Erza. "But I'm afraid we will have to skip the pleasantries for now; we have a rather urgent matter that needs solving."

Hibiki raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?"

"Yes, we need some information about a wizard," Erza explained. "And not just any wizard either..."

"Now you really have me curious," Hibiki replied. "Shall we adjorn to more private quarters?"

He led the group down the hall to a smaller room so they could talk without interruption. Hibiki claimed a chair and steepled his fingers.

"Now, who might this wizard be?" he asked.

"Rowan Wildstar."

Hibiki looked surprised. "Well, now that's unexpected."

"Can you help us or not?" Gray asked irritably.

"That depends on what you want to know about him," Hibiki replied. "My archive magic only has a limited amount of data on him unfortunately."

"Awe man!" Natsu exclaimed. "We're never gonna figure this out!" The dragon slayer huffed indignantly and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Before I tell you anything," Hibiki said coolly. "I'd like to know why you need know about him."

Erza sighed. "We're investigating what happened to Astraluna City and we know he's connected to whatever happened."

"Wait, what happened to that city?"

"Its been turned to ruins and all its inhabitants have vanished. Along with Wildstar himself. The sole survivor is in our care back at our guild. It would appear he had a family."

Hibiki frowned as he sat in silence. After several moments, he turned his gaze to Erza. "Well, this is alarming. I'll tell you what I know, but like I said; it isn't much."

**X--x--X**

**Alright guys, I know this chapter is short and not super fluffy--or anything really. I'm hoping the next chapter will be much more satisfying. As always, read, review, favorite, etc!**

**Rhys**


	6. Chapter Five

**Okay, okay...So things aren't quite progressing like I had envisioned...I'm working on getting it all put together in just the right way...I hope that from here on out I can properly tell this story!**

**Rhys**

**X--x--X**

Chapter Five:

_Two years ago..._

Rowan Wildstar sat at the table in his kitchen watching his young daughter gobble down her breakfast. A small smile sat upon his face as he watched.

"Careful Jules," the man cautioned. "If you eat too fast you might choke."

The three year old paused and looked to her father. After a brief moment of silence, she giggled and continued her fast paced eating. Rowan sighed, waiting for her to finish.

"Daddy are we going to learn more magic today?" Julia asked through a mouthful of food.

"Sure," her father replied. "After I finish my errands we will learn more magic, okay?"

The three year old nodded vigorously and inhaled the last of her breakfast. Rowan cleaned her plate and helped her get dressed. She turned to grab her favorite toy from her bed.

"No," Rowan chided. "Harry stays home, remember?" Julia pouted, but placed the toy back on her bed. "That's a good girl."

The father and daughter duo soon left their home in Astraluna City. Rowan held tight to his daughter's hand. If he didn't then the curious toddler would wander off. She had a curious personality and seemed to fear nothing. After some quick grocery shopping, they returned to their home.

"Go upstairs and play Julia," Rowan instructed. "I'll call for you when it's time to learn magic."

Julia nodded and dashed up the steps. Rowan watched her leave, waiting a few moments before he headed into another room. With a glance over his shoulder, he activated a secret lever that led to a hidden room.

Inside the hidden nook, Rowan had a vast collection of potions, artifacts, and literature. His status as a rogue allowed him to access things most guild wizards couldn't--or wouldn't.

Rowan sat down at the desk and began shuffling through the papers on it. If his work here on the paper proved to be true, he would succeed in his goal. For the better part of a decade Rowan had been researching a specific type of lost magic. His daughter now harbored the potential to wield that which he was researching. He had to be careful though; this magic had the high chance of killing its wielder. But if his assumptions were correct--and they usually were--he had discovered a key element in controlling such power.

On a nearby shelf sat a small orb that glowed purple. It was a lacrima; one imbued with impressive magical energy. The colors swirled ominously in the low light of the secret room. Rowan gazed at it, seemingly lost in thought.

_Soon, _he thought. _Soon Julia will be strong enough and the world will marvel at her power...I will make the impossible possible through her._

\--x--

Rowan held tight to his young daughter's hand as they wove their way through city streets. She was skipping along happily as the pair made their way to the forest just outside the city. From their house it was about a ten minute walk. For the last several months they had been coming out her quite regularly to practice magic. Much like her father, Julia loved everything about magic--using it, watching others use it, and learning about it. It made Rowan rather proud.

"Alright Jules," said Rowan. "Here we are!"

The three old squealed gleefully and began dashing around the small open area. After a quick lap, Julia ran back to stand by her father.

"Come on Daddy! Magic time!" she chirped, tugging her father's hand.

Rowan smiled. "What do you want to first?"

Julia paused, scrunching her face in thought. "Can I try moving stuff?" she asked finally.

Rowan nodded. "Of course! Lets start small though. We don't want you getting all tired too quickly."

Julia turned to face a pile of rocks. Poking her tongue out in concentration, she raised her hands towards the pile. A faint purple glow surrounded a rock on the top of the pile. Julia focused hard on the rock, lifting it into the air. It rose two feet into the air, causing Julia to shout in achievement. As she shouted, the rock took off at blinding speed into the air.

"Aww, oops..." she exclaimed. "I did it again..."

Rowan sighed, smiling slightly. Julia's magic was closely connected to her emotions, and if she got too excited one way or another, her magic would act unpredictably.

"Well, that's why we practice," said Rowan. "Lets try again, but lets get the rocks in the circle just like before, okay?"

Julia nodded, turning serious once again. She faced the pile of rocks, hands outstretched once more. Purple glowed on the rock at the top as it lifted into the air. Ever so slowly, it crept across the area and landed in a circle of twigs at the other end of the area.

"Good!" Rowan cheered. "Do it again. I want to see five more rocks in the circle."

Julia beamed at the praise from her father. "You got it Daddy!"

Julia faced the rock pile once again. She extended her arms and scrunched her face in coconcentration. Two rocks slowly rose into the air. They shakily began move towards the target circle. Just before they reached their target, one of the rocks dropped to the ground. As it fell, Julia let out a frustrated squeak that sent the second rock into the sky above.

"Now, now," Rowan cautioned. "Don't get yourself all wound up. One step at a time, yeah?"

Julia nodded, taking a deep breath. She closed her eyes, standing absolutely still. After a moment of inactivity, Julia raised her arms once again. Her face was scrunched in concentration. Soon her green eyes seemed to light up as two more rocks rose into the air. The two rocks began a slow, but steady journey to the circle. Once the two rocks landed in the target circle, Julia turned to Rowan with a wide smile.

"I did it Daddy!" she proclaimed. "Did you see me!?"

Rowan smiled. "I sure did sweetheart! You did so good!"

Julia beamed at the praise from her father. "I'm gonna move three rocks this time!"

**X--x--X**

**Okay here's a bit of backstory on our. mystery girl. Hope you all are enjoying it! As always, read, review, follow--or whatever it is you guys do!**

**Rhys**


	7. Chapter 6

**Mucho thanks to my mystery reviewer! I'm happy to hear you're enjoying my story! I like to make every bit of writing count, so I'm also happy to see you pick up on the info in the fluffy stuff! Your reviews let me know that I'm baiting the readers just right, so thanks again.**

**Rhys**

**X-x-X**

Chapter Six:

Lucy sat at her table, surveying the room around her. Julia was sleeping on her bed, all curled up with Harry. The five year old had explored every inch of Lucy's apartment in a fast paced frenzy. Many of Lucy's things were scattered across the floor from the curious rampage. Several pieces of paper lay upon the desk; they were covered in scribbly drawings. One was of Harry, her trusted sidekick. Another showed some sort of purple circle inside a heart. And the final drawing depicted two people in a forest with floating rocks and circles.

Lucy studied the drawings one at the time. The drawing of Harry was obviously not hiding any information as she already knew what Harry was. The picture of the circle and the heart seemed like some sort of childish abstract drawing. The one of people in the forest; Lucy thought it could be a picture of Julia and her father. She wasn't quite sure what activity they were partaking in, but it looked like something to deal with magic.

_So Julia hasn't always been afraid of magic_.

Lucy looked back at Julia with a sad expression. The young girl hadn't even asked where her father was-or anything like that.

_Maybe Mira is right_, Lucy thought. _We may have to just go ahead and ask her._

Julia shifted in her sleep; rolling over with a deep sigh. It seemed she was sleeping peacefully with no bad dreams. Lucy looked back at the drawings.

"I hope Natsu and the others have figured out more than we have..." Lucy murmured quietly.

x-x

Erza and the boys were currently riding the train back to Magnolia. They were all seated in silence; Erza and Gray were deep in thought. Natsu however; he was slumped in his seat terribly ill thanks to his motion sickness.

Gray broke the silence. "Why do I feel like we know less than when we started?"

"We just need better answers," Erza replied. "Hibiki wasn't kidding when he said he didn't know much. I guess we'll just have to find another source of information."

Gray grumbled slightly, looking out the window again. Hibiki Lates, a member of Blue Pegasus, had given them everything he knew about Rowan Wildstar. And, as he had previously claimed, it wasn't much at all.

Rowan Wildstar's magic was a type of matter manipulation. It was similar to what one would call telekinesis, but on a much more refined scale. He could break down inanimate objects all the way back to their unassembled state. His magic didn't work on living beings, but it did work on another person's magic if it had enough substance.

And that was all they had learned. No family history, no guild affiliations, no nothing. It was a frustrating situation to say in the least.

"I hope that Lucy and Mirajane were able to get Julia to talk," said Erza.

"Who is Julia?" Gray asked.

"The little girl we found in the ruins," Erza replied. "As of right now, she's our best bet on solving this mystery."

Gray fell silent again. He could easily relate to Julia, seeing as his mentor Ur had found him in a similar situation. He knew that reliving those horrors was not a pleasant experience and could sympathize with the young girl.

\--x--

Julia sat at the table, eagerly shoveling her food in her mouth. She had awoken an hour ago and asked for food. While Lucy had prepared their dinner she managed to convince Julia to draw some more pictures. It was a good start into figuring out the little girl's past. She drew a few more before changing her attention to the food. Lucy gathered them all up and laid them on her desk. She wanted to keep up with them so Mirajane could see them. Hopefully they would learn something.

"All done!" Julia declared. She wiped her face clean and hopped down from her chair. Lucy cleaned their plates and turned back around to catch sight of Julia climbing up onto her bed. The young girl got herself all settled into the bed with Harry, letting a yawn slip out.

"Awe, you still tired?" Lucy asked as she helped to cover up the girl.

_Nevermind that you're taking my bed,_ Lucy thought. _Oh well._

Julia grinned and rubbed her eyes. She snuggled into the pillow and Harry as an answer. Lucy could only sigh and watch as the girl began dozing off. She quickly shut the light off and turned on her desk lamp. As quietly as possible, she pulled out a quill and parchment and began writing.

_Dear Mom,_

_We rescued a young girl the other day from a destroyed city. Her name is Julia Wildstar and she's five years old. She's the daughter of Rowan Wildstar. She hasn't said much, but she has been just as upbeat as one could be. You would never know that she just lost everything she loved. Except for her only stuffed toy; an elephant named Harry._

_I don't know what to do Mom; if I'm being honest. I want to help her, but I don't know where to start. How do I tell her that she has no family left? And what's worse, she's afraid of magic. Whatever happened to Astraluna City must have been terrible. I can't imagine anyone being scared of magic. It's in so many parts of our lives that I don't know what we would do without it._

_Her drawings don't make much sense, but they at least tell me she wasn't always afraid of magic. I just hope we can figure out how to help her and find her family. Thanks for always listening Mom, I love you...and Dad too._

_Love Always,_

_Lucy_

**X--x--X**

**Alrighty guys here's our next installment. I plan on showing a bit more backstory like the last chapter. Reviews are always welcome! And thanks again to my only mystery reviewer! I'm glad to hear that what I'm doing is working.**

**Rhys**


	8. A Magical Legacy

**Hi readers! Here we go with another backstory installment for young Julia. I hope to be able to semi-solve some of Julia's past that leads up until now. I know you guys are probably anxious for more puzzle pieces, so here we go!**

**X--x--X**

Chapter Seven: A Magical Legacy

_Six months before the Astraluna Incident..._

Rowan Wildstar sat in his hidden room concealed within his home. It was in the early hours of the morning. Julia was still fast asleep in her own bed. These were the hours Rowan got the most work done as his daughter was quite the busy-body.

Julia was proving to be quite the prodigy when it came to magic. Her creativity and imagination were powerful assets for the magic she wielded. Whereas Rowan's magic primarily disassembled inanimate objects; Julia's magic could assemble things out of any material around her. She had even made her own toys and dolls out of things found in her room.

Rowan grabbed the magical lacrima he kept in this room. He stared at the swirling magical energy it contained. All his work was leading up to this one moment. She would be his ultimate legacy. The color of the swirl had changed as it had been added to. What once started off as a deep purple was now a rainbow of colors mixing and swirling together.

As powerful as he was, she would be greater. He was determined to see her rise to the very top of the magical world; to be better than anyone could ever dream of being.

It was her destiny.

Rowan replaced the orb and stood up. He extinguished the light and slipped out of the hidden room. The sun was just beginning to rise as morning broke through the dark. Julia would be up soon so it was probably best to get started on breakfast. He made his way into the kitchen and began making preparations. He was about halfway done when Julia made her appearance in the doorway.

"G'morning Daddy," she mumbled, rubbing the sleep from her bright green eyes.

Rowan turned and smiled. "Hey sleepy head, hungry?"

Julia nodded, yawning loudly. Rowan turned back to the food he was cooking, still smiling.

"Are we going to do more magic training today?" asked Julia.

Rowan made her plate and set it in front of her and then sat down across from her with his own plate.

"Maybe later today," he replied. "I've got some work I need to finish up first."

Julia hummed as she stuffed a spoon full of food in her mouth. She chewed happily, content with her father's answer. He watched for a few moments before digging into his own breakfast.

It was only a matter of time.

Julia would soon fulfill her destiny. The young girl had no idea what lay ahead of her. Rowan watched her eat; his mind wandering to other things...

_She may not be my blood, but she will be my legacy_, he thought. _I have worked and researched far too much to give up now. Her abilities will surpass any who oppose her and prove my years of work to be true!_

_I will not fail._

x--x

Lucy walked down the road that led to Fairy Tail. Dancing all around her was the young Julia; the girl was seemingly overflowing with energy. All thanks to a good night's sleep--or so Lucy assumed.

"Hey, hey!" Lucy beckoned. "Get over here and hold my hand. I don't want to lose you."

Julia turned and skipped to Lucy's side, grasping her hand. She flashed a heart melting smile and resumed skipping along side her guardian. She altered her pace so that she kept up with Lucy and didn't hold her back. Lucy glanced down at Julia as they walked. The girl seemed to not have a care in the world by the way she skipped along. And when Lucy concentrated she could tell that Julia's magic remained very much the same...albeit a little less spastic. It seemed to contain itself into a little ball, but every now and again it would spaz out. It would go haywire whenever Julia had a drastic change in emotions...or so it seemed. Whenever the little girl got excited or upset, her magic would go nuts in uncontrollable ways.

The guild was in sight, causing Julia to tug Lucy forward. The Celestial wizard allowed herself to be dragged onward in an excited burst. Julia began making all kinds of squeaks as she neared the guild. It was clear she was excited about returning to the establishment.

Once they arrived, Julia wasted no time in pushing through the doors and dashing inside. By the time Lucy followed her in and had shut the door, the little girl had made a mad dash straight for Mirajane. The intended target of Julia's excites greeting was busy serving Cana another mug. Julia crashed into Mirajane's legs, nearly causing them to both fall down.

"Whoa now!" Mirajane exclaimed as the girl collided with her legs. Once she realized what was happening, she let out an amused giggle. "Good morning to you too!"

Julia released her hold on Mirajane's dress and looked up at her with an excited grin. Mirajane returned the smile and motioned for Julia to follow her. The walked across the guild hall and behind the bar. Mirajane set her tray on the counter and turned to Julia. She knelt down so she could talk quietly.

"I have a surprise for you," she announced. Julia's eyes lit up from excitement. Mirajane lowered her voice. "For any time you get scared, I made you a safe place hiding spot just for you."

"Like a clubhouse that's all mine?" Julia gasped.

Mirajane nodded, smiling at her. "Yes, a clubhouse just for you. Would you like to see it?" Julia nodded vigorously. "Okay, then...its right over here..."

Mirajane guided her behind the bar to a small corner hidden beneath the countertop. Inside the hidden nook, there was a good assortment of soft pillows and blankets arranged. Julia wasted no time in climbing inside it.

"Anytime you feel scared or something," said Mirajane softly. "You can hide in here. I know that you'll be staying here whenever Lucy goes on missions, so I wanted you to feel safe while I watch you." Julia frolicked in the bedding for a few minutes before turning back to Mirajane. "Thanks Mira! Can Harry come here sometimes too?"

"Of course!". Mirajane replied, standing up. Lucy joined her by sitting at the bar.

"That's a good idea Mira," said Lucy. "I'm sure it should help. And while we're here and I'm thinking about; I have something to show you."

Mirajane turned to Lucy with a curious look. "Oh really?"

Lucy reached into her bag and set Julia's drawings on the counter. Mirajane took immediate interest, picking up the small stack of artwork.

She studied them intently; some more than others. As she sifted through them, she divided them into separate stacks. One stack for pictures that gave them info and another that were just the child's random drawings. Mirajane looked back at Lucy.

"So she hasn't always been afraid magic..." she concluded quietly. Lucy nodded in agreement. "Aside from these," Mirajane said about the one stack. "I think this pile gives us a good look into her past."

In the pile deemed useless were several different drawings. One depicted Harry, another was of a collection of roughly made dolls, and the third was of a heart with a purple circle in it.

In the other pile however; one picture showed Julia and Rowan in a forest with floating rocks, another showed an Infinity symbol in a rainbow of colors, a third showed a box with word 'Daddy' inside it and a lock on the outside, the final drawing showed a crudely drawn tornado demolishing a house.

"Natsu and the others should be returning later today I believe," said Mirajane. "And when they do, we'll go compare notes in the Master's office."

Lucy nodded, letting out a sigh. She could only hope that Natsu had learned more than she had. This mystery was heartbreaking and it seemed to raise more questions than it answered.

_I wish we could help more..._Lucy thought.

**X--x--X**

**Alright guys, here we are! Hope you enjoy it! I'm beginning to enjoy unraveling this mystery for you guys a little at a time. As per usual; read and review please!**

**Rhys**


	9. The Forbidden Arc

**Okay guys, Chapter 8 here we go! I hope this sheds some light on Rowan's research and what Julia is dealing with. That's all I'll say for now. Enjoy, and as always read and review!**

**Rhys**

**X--x--X**

Chapter Eight: The Forbidden Arc

_Nine Years Before the Astraluna Incident..._

Rowan Wildstar walked briskly towards the monolithic building just down the road. He kept his collar pulled high and his head down to remain inconspicuous. Despite his efforts, few people were out to notice him. But one could never be too careful.

The onyx colored stone that made the building towered before him as he approached. He quickened his pace and retreated into the depths of its interior.

This was the Forbidden Archive.

A library of dark and forbidden magic that dated back to the earliest times of man. It was every dark wizard's paradise for researching forbidden magic and taboo topics.

Rowan didn't consider himself a 'dark wizard', but he also didn't abide by the guild laws and magic council. If he kept himself far enough under the radar, he could easily do as he pleased. He didn't abuse the privilege, he just let it work for him when he needed use of the magical underworld.

Quickly, Rowan hustled down the aisles to the ancient texts of lost and forbidden magics. He reached nearly the end of the aisle he was on and hesitated. Glancing left and right, he made sure no one was around. He put his hand on the underside of the top-most shelf and dialed out a code on a hidden keypad. There was a soft hiss as a compartment opened and presented a book. This archive had all topics out in the open, but if one wanted to keep a specific book for their eyes only then there was a way to put it away. As one would call it.

Rowan plucked the book from its hiding place and retreated to a table in a dark corner. He set up a low-light emitting lacrima to allow him illumination to read. The title of the book read:

_Forbidden Arcs_

He flipped the pages until he arrived at the marked section he had left to read. He pulled several rolls of parchment from his cloak and unrolled them. The parchment was covered in quickly written notes about sealing magic inside a lacrima.

Rowan arrived at the topic of his choice;

_The Arc of Infinity_.

_Those who wield this incredible magic are people of impressive power. They have the ability to make something out of the environment around them. The more powerful they become, the more refined the magic becomes. As their power grows so does the refinement of this magic. It can become so precise that they are able to manipulate the very molecules of matter around them. **BUT**, any wizard who has set out to master this type of magic has either died or become corrupted in their thinking. In the case of the latter, death is still imminent but no one knows when it will strike._

_There is a theory that the powerful magic can be semi-controlled. When the user summons their magic forth, it can drain them almost instantly, but if one were to put a reservoir of magical energy nearby, the draw wouldn't sap its user. The next danger was the explosive use in which the power displayed itself. If the sudden drain of energy didn't kill the user, then the explosive expulsion of energy just might. The only way around that explosive push was to create a living limiter on the user's magical energy. That meant that the user's magical reserve would have to be contained by a special, sacrificial container._

Rowan looked up from the book and glanced around. No one was in sight. Quickly and quietly, he ripped the entire section out and tucked it within his cloak. He casually stood and replaced the book before making a hasty, but quiet exit.

He had all the info he needed, now he just needed the perfect subject. His other avenue was down that of wizard genetics. He was determined to find the perfect bloodline that could sustain the Arc of Infinity. This part of his research had led him to a city within the kingdom of Fiore.

Astraluna City.

There within the city, a family of ancient and powerful magical heritage resided. It was a long forgotten line that had settled into present mediocrity. If Rowan was fastidious in his research--and rest assured he was--then this family would soon be producing a new heir.

It was only a matter of time.

x--x

Julia had spent the majority of her morning dashing around chasing Mirajane as she worked. Once she had lunch however; Julia retired to her hiding spot and fell asleep. Thankfully the more spirited guild members were out on quest. (i.e Natsu and Gray) That meant no brawls were breaking out any time soon.

Lucy awaited their arrival at the bar, studying Julia's artwork. She was desperate to know more about the young girl's past, but felt conflicted on how to go about learning more.

The straight forward approach seemed most practical, but there was no telling how traumatized Julia actually was. Her fear of magic was also another concern. Thanks to that, there was no easy way to magically extract memories. So that meant relying on a guessing game spurred by the girl's drawings.

Lucy frowned and sighed dismally. Mirajane scooted into the seat across from her.

"So," she asked quietly. "Have you figured anything out?"

Lucy leaned back in her seat with an exasperated sigh. "Ugh, I don't really know. I mean, I think I maybe have, but then again, I'm not sure there is anything..."

Mirajane sat silently for a moment before reaching out her hand, palm upwards. It took Lucy a moment before she realized that Mirajane was requesting the stack of drawings with her outstretched hand. Quickly, she handed them over with the hope that Mirajane might grant her some insight.

The pair sat in silence as Mirajane leafed through the drawings. Each one elicited a different hum as she looked through them. Once finished, she reassembled the stack and set them down, looking back at Lucy.

Her brow was furrowed in thought about what she had just seen. Lucy waited patiently as they sat in further silence, hoping Mirajane had some insight. After a few more moments passed, Mirajane sighed and pulled out a few of the drawings. She placed one in front of Lucy, bearing a grim expression.

"If this one means what I think it means," said Mirajane slowly. "Then Julia has a much more colorful past than we originally thought."

"What do you mean?" Lucy asked, picking up the paper.

The picture showed two people, one bigger than the other. It looked to be Julia and Rowan. Her father was bent over putting a purple circle in Julia's body.

"It looks like Julia's magic isn't natural," Mirajane explained. "If this is what I think it is, then her father must have placed a lacrima inside of her. Much like with Laxus and Cobra...But this isn't Dragon Slayer magic; this is something else."

Lucy picked up the paper, with a sad expression. "I wonder what kind of magic it is..."

**X--x--X****Okay here's some more info on our girl's mysterious past and Rowan's research.****Rhys**


	10. Explosive Introductions

**Chapter nine already!? My-oh-my how did we get here already? Once I hit ten, I'll reward you guys with a big reveal or something exciting. We'll see...as always, read and review!****Rhys**

**X--x--X**

Chapter Nine: Explosive Introductions

The day was winding down to a close and most of the guild members had either disappeared to their homes or gone off on jobs. Our heroes from Team Natsu were just now returning to Magnolia. Lucy, Mirajane, and Master Makarov were awaiting their arrival in a quiet corner of the guild hall. Julia was sprawled out on the floor nearby, happily drawing more pictures. She had recently had dinner and was now filling the time until Lucy took her home for bed.

"Hey Gramps!" Natsu yelled as they burst into the guild hall. "We're back!"

Lucy sighed and rolled her eyes. "Its about time!"

Julia had jumped up, startled by the noisy entry and dashed to Mirajane. She climbed into her lap and clutched at her neck. Mirajane comforted the girl as the others joined them.

"I hope you have learned something," said Makarov. "We could use some good news."

"I'm afraid we hit nothing but dead ends Master," Erza replied. "Hibiki of the Blue Pegasus guild wasn't of much help unfortunately. We were only able to learn about what magic Rowan used. What you? Did the girl tell you anything?"

Erza glanced at Julia who was shyly peeking at her. She smiled, causing the little girl to hide her face in Mirajane's hair.

"She did in a way," Mirajane answered. "Julia drew us some pictures and we think they have some sort of meaning."

"Hey there," said Natsu kneeling down next to Mirajane and Julia. "Don't be scared, we're the good guys! We helped find you. I'm glad to see you're doing better!"

Julia turned to peek at him, studying the pink haired man before her. A small smile crept onto her face before she hid it again.

"Don't be shy," Lucy coaxed. "These are our friends. They won't hurt you."

Julia glanced over at Lucy, then at Erza before she leapt into Lucy's lap. She snuggled into Lucy's embrace, keeping her face half turned so as to watch the others. Makarov laid the drawings out on the table. Erza looked over them carefully.

"I take it you haven't tried questioning her?" Erza asked.

"No--

Erza held up a hand, interrupting Mirajane. "Then I guess I will have to."

"Now wait a minute Erza," Lucy began, but she was quickly silenced.

"We are running out of options," Erza retorted. "If we want answers we have to do this. Master, please..."

Makarov grumbled quietly before sighing. "Erza is right. If we ever hope to solve this mystery, we're going to have to question the girl."

"But Master!-- Makarov held up a hand silencing Lucy and Mirajane.

"I know this may seem cruel," he explained. "But if we don't find answers we won't be able to help young Julia. This must be done."

Lucy sat silently for a moment. "Fine, but before we do this, I feel like we should tell them about Julia's condition..."

"Condition?" Gray repeated.

Lucy nodded. "Julia is afraid of magic."

The others became surprised. Natsu was the first to speak up.

"What!?" he cried out. "That's ridiculous! No one should be scared of magic!"

"Well, she is," Lucy affirmed. "So don't scare her."

"Nonsense!" Natsu declared. "I'll show her magic isn't scary; here check this out Julia!"

Before anyone could stop him, Natsu began spelling fiery words in the air with his magic. Julia's reaction was immediate as she recoiled in horror. Her body began trembling as she buried herself in Lucy's embrace.

"Natsu stop!" Lucy cried. "I told you already!--

But Natsu wasn't listening. "Look Julia, I can make pictures too!"

In spite of his efforts, Julia began sobbing hysterically as the others tried to get Natsu under control.

"You moron, knock it off!" Gray yelled. "You're not helping!"

He clocked Natsu's head, making the fire demonstration stop. The action however, caused Natsu to growl at Gray.

"Hey, why'd you hit me!?" he growled. "Don't make me roast your frosty butt!"

"Get real!" Gray countered. "Your stupid idea isn't working; can't you see her crying?"

"That's probably because you're down to your underwear again, you freak!"

Gray had indeed, stripped down, but now the two had begun arguing loudly. Erza was trying to end the squabble with loud instructions. Julia was still sobbing as everyone began trying to diffuse the situation with the only result being more escalation. Lucy and Mirajane exchanged worried glances as Makarov finally got involved. In a flash, his giant fist had squashed the squabbling wizards, effectively silencing them all.

But then it happened.

Each on of them sensed it just seconds before it happened.

Julia's magic had suddenly expanded and was going crazy. Chairs, tables, and other objects began rising in the air before swirling into a vortex of growing energy. Lucy held tight to Julia as they were at the center of it. The others jumped back, shielding their faces as the vortex grew.

"Oh no!" Mirajane cried. "Lucy, Julia!"

She tried to force her way through the vortex, but never made it. She yelped as a chair clipped her shoulder and spun her to her knees. Gray grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Mirajane held her shoulder, wincing, but nodded. "I'm fine. We have to calm her down!"

She got back to her feet and watched as the vortex intensified. The objects caught in it were beginning to break apart. They could see Lucy clinging to Julia, trying to protect her from the debris. Cuts and scrapes were appearing on her skin from being hit.

"How do we stop her!?" Erza yelled.

"We have to calm her down!" Mirajane yelled back. "But if we can't get to her, I don't know how we will!"

The vortex was changing colors; a rainbow of magical energy swirled faster and faster. They could hear Lucy crying out with every hit she took.

"You have to try talking to her!" Mirajane yelled. "Hurry Lucy or this is going to tear everything apart--including you!"

Lucy glanced up at her friends and then looked down at Julia. The girl was radiating magical energy in such intensity. She was still in hysterics. Lucy winced as something collided with her back.

"Julia, you have to snap out of it!" she yelled. "Please Julia, please calm down!"

Her yelling caught Julia's attention, but didn't have the effect she was hoping for. Instead, Julia wailed louder changing the flow of the vortex. It shrunk and focused itself around the girl in an attempt to propel Lucy away from her. It didn't take long before she was swept up into it and expelled out into the arms of Natsu.

Natsu cursed as he set Lucy down and looked at Julia. "I really hate to do this..."

Before he could act, Erza appeared in a flash and requipped to a more protective armor. She plunged into the vortex and with a swift chop, knocked Julia unconscious. All at once, everything stopped and the debris fell to the floor. Mirajane and Lucy were the first to reach the girl while the others surveyed the damage.

"I think its safe to say we figured out what destroyed the city," said Erza grimly. She bent over to pick up a paper that had settled by her feet. "And now we know what this means..."

They all looked at the paper she held. It was one of Julia's drawings. It showed a small girl in the center of a vortex that seemed to be destroying the buildings around it.

Lucy cradled the unconscious girl with a sad look on her face. "Oh no...poor Julia..."

"We have to figure out what Rowan did to her," said Mirajane, holding her injured shoulder.

"Are you okay Lucy?" Natsu asked, resting a hand on her shoulder. She nodded, tears running down her race. She covered in small injuries thanks to the vortex.

"I'm fine," she whispered. "We have to help her...we just have to."

The look on her face didn't sit well with Natsu. He could tell this girl had made quite an impression on his friend and in that moment, he felt what she did.

They had to help Julia; at all costs they just had to.

**X--x--X**

**Well here we go guys! The mystery is somewhat revealed! Poor Julia destroyed her own hometown, but what made her do it? Guess you'll have to find out later!! Read and review as always!!**

**Rhys**


	11. Origins Beginning

**Okay, wow! I never thought I would get this far in a story. Thanks to all who encourage me onwards! I hope this chapter is everything you hoped for and more!**

**Rhys**

**To my reviewer:**

**Ushindeshi: I've already ****revealed what magic Julia has. **

**X--x--X**

Chapter Ten: Origins

_Four__ Years before the Astraluna Incident_

Lyra Luna knelt in their living room with her arms outstretched. Just in front of her was a baby girl clinging to their couch on unsteady legs.

"You can do it!" Lyra coaxed. "I know you can walk to me!"

The girl was just over a year old. Her eyes were bright and inquisitive as they watched her mother. A nearly toothless smile flashed across her face as her mother cooed at her again.

"Come on Julia, walk to Mommy!" Lyra begged, wiggling her fingers to help persuade the toddler.

Julia waved a fist back and forth. "Momma!" she squealed gleefully.

Lyra sighed, letting her arms drop. "You stubborn little thing..."

The front door opened, signaling the appearance of Lyra's husband, Miles Luna. He smiled at the scene before him.

"She still teasing you Lyra?" he joked as he closed the door and walked further into the room.

Baby Julia spotted her father, and with a squeal, she began stumbling towards him. Miles scooped up the happy toddler with a laugh.

"Dada!"

"Oh come on!" Lyra huffed as she stood up.

"Aww, you hurt Mommy's feelings," Miles teased.

Julia blinked at him and then turned her gaze to Lyra. "Momma cry?"

Lyra went along with it, hiding her face in her hands and pretending to cry. Julia became worried and reached out to her mother's face. She wrapped her fingers around one of Lyra's fingers.

"No cry Momma!" she said, tugging on Lyra's hand. "Hug?"

Lyra let her hands be tugged away and embraced her young daughter as she switched into her arms. Julia wrapped her arms around her mother's neck.

"All better!" Julia declared, pulling back to look at Lyra. Content that she had cheered her mother up, she wriggled out of Lyra's arms and was set down on the floor.

She took a few stumbling steps, before dropping into a crawl back to her toys. Lyra and Miles watched happily for a few minutes before they moved into the kitchen.

Lyra spokspoke first. "So did you find a job?"

"Several jobs actually," Miles replied. "A couple of them paid extremely well too..."

"But...?"

Miles sighed. "Well, most of them you wouldn't approve of..."

Lyra sat in a chair with an exasperated sigh. "Too dangerous?"

Miles sat next to her. "That's one way of putting it...I know you don't want me taking unnecessary risks, but one of these jobs would mean enough money to take small jobs here in town for a few months."

"Miles...I don't know. What if something happens? And what about Julia? Without you here..."

Miles took Lyra's hands into his own and spoke softly. "Calm down. If it upsets you that much, I'll just take one of the easier jobs. There's a well paying job helping a historian in the next town over."

"I'm sorry Miles," Lyra whispered. "Are you sure you're okay with that?"

Miles leaned in, kissing his wife softly on her lips. "For you, and Julia, anything..."

X--x--X

Lucy still held tight to Julia as the group had moved to the infirmary. She and Mirajane were bandaged up from the hits they had taken. Julia was completely unharmed, sleeping peacefully in Lucy's arms.

"Such power..." Makarov murmured. "I've never seen anything like it."

Mirajane knelt beside Lucy, gently pushing a strand of hair from Julia's face. "She must've destroyed Astraluna by accident."

"That's another weird thing," Gray chimed in. "We didn't find _any_ trace of the people there. Even Natsu's dragon senses were drawing a blank."

Makarov appeared to be thinking. He had his arms crossed over his chest, head bowed slightly, and his eyes closed.

"I fear we may never learn anything from young Julia," he said finally. "With a reaction this big to something harmless--imagine what would happen if she were to be triggered by her memories. We know, now, that she is responsible for all the destruction, but we do not know why. And to make her relive it might just destroy all of this too."

The group fell silent, unsure about what they should say. Lucy stared at the little girl in her arms, frowning from her inner turmoil.

"Wait, what about using Gemini?" Gray asked suddenly.

Lucy looked at him with a confused face. "What do you mean--oh! That's a brilliant idea Gray!"

Lucy carefully maneuvered Julia onto the bed and took some steps back. The others followed her lead, some still figuring out what was happening. She pulled one of her keys from the ring and turned to face an empty space in the room.

"Probably best to do this while she is still out..."

"_Open, Gate of the Twins!_"

Lucy summoned forth Gemini, one of her many Celestial Spirits.In a flash, her spirit sprung into existence. They danced around in the air, happy to be of use.

"Hi Lucy!" they chimed together. "Need help with something?"

"I still don't get what's going on!" Natsu exclaimed suddenly. Everyone rolled their eyes in response.

"Can you imitate that little girl there for us?" Lucy asked.

"Okay!" they quipped before transforming into a copy of Julia. "What now?"

"We need you to look back into her memories for us," Lucy instructed. "It's the key to finally solving this mystery."

"Oh I get it!" Natsu declared, earning another group eye roll.

Gemini/Julia moved over to the real Julia's bedside. The copy closed her eyes, focusing in on Julia's memories. It was quiet for several long minutes and it seemed like no one had moved an inch. But finally, Gemini/Julia opened her eyes and turned back to the Fairy Tail wizards.

"Okay," she said confidently. "What do you need to know?"

**X--x--X**

**There we go guys! A little backstory, an unusual solution, and finally a little headway in solving this mystery! From here on out, its gonna be good! Remember**** to read and review please!**

**Thanks as always!**

**Rhys**


	12. The Astraluna Incident

**Chapter eleven woohoo!! Looks like we are finally going to get some answers!**

**Rhys**

**X--x--X**

The Biggest Puzzle Piece

Although they were soon to have their questions answered; Lucy couldn't help but to feel nervous. As much as she wanted answers, she was scared to get them.

_What if Julia destroyed Astraluna on purpose?_ _What if she didn't destroy it?_ _Did she kill all of those people?_

These thoughts plagued her mind in a vicious unending cycle. She took a deep breath to clear her mind. It was time to focus.

"Okay Gemini," she said as everyone gathered around. "Tell us about Astraluna City."

The Celestial Spirit closed its eyes, digging back into young Julia's memories.

X--X

_Day__ of the Astraluna Incident..._

"Daddy, Daddy! Wake up! Its morning!"

Julia bounced up and down on her father's bed excitedly. She had already dressed herself. Rowan blinked a few times, trying to wake up. He was trying to figure out why she was up and ready for the day already. The sun hadn't even been up for very long.

"Mm, Jules...its early," he grumbled, pulling his blanket over his head.

"But you promised Daddy!" she chirped. "Today's the day! My new magic is ready, remember Daddy!?"

_Oh that's right..._

Three days ago Julia had undergone a procedure to have a special magical lacrima implanted into her body. Even though she already possessed magical talent, this lacrima was different. It was filled as an extra reservoir so her type of magic wouldn't drain her and kill her. It had been a three day recovery for the five year old, but now that it was over; she was eager to go.

"Alright, alright," Rowan groaned, sitting up.

"Yay!"

Julia leapt off of the bed and glided to the floor.

_Well that's new..._

Julia was floating back and forth through the air as she danced around the room. After a few moments she darted out of the room and then reappeared.

"Look what I made Daddy!" she said, presenting him with an object.

He took it from her, examining it. It was a horse, seemingly made from a hodgepodge of different materials.

"I used my clay, my small plastic horses, and my old blanket," she said as she pointed to the different parts of the horse.

Rowan was secretly amazed. Julia was already taking to her new magic faster than he anticipated. A brief flash of worry crossed his brain, but he quickly dismissed it. This had been exactly what he had wanted, right?

"Its beautiful honey," he said, handing it back. She beamed at him before darting off again.

Rowan got to his feet and changed into some clothes before he headed to their kitchen. Julia was off playing; he could hear her in another room. He pulled out some cereal for breakfast and as soon as Julia's bowl was poured, the five year old popped into her chair from thin air. It startled Rowan.

"Thanks Daddy!" she said through a mouthful of food.

He smiled and put the cereal box away. Rowan took a seat across from his daughter so he could study her a bit. It was clear, she was displaying powers akin to the Arc of Infinity. The only thing that really caught him off guard was how soon it was. He had initially expected the process to take a week to show results. But then one never could be 100% accurate when guessing about lost and forbidden magic. He felt a mixture of pride and hesitation. Julia had been practicing magic for two years now, so it seemed only right that she would fairly adept at it now. But for this?

Teleportation, flying, and making things from other objects?

This was simply astonishing.

"All done!" Julia announced before she teleported back to the other room.

This was also simply wonderful.

All his research and efforts were paying off--and in a _big_ way. Julia was going to be a force to be reckoned with. The five year old reappeared in the kitchen.

"Can we go practice Daddy?" she begged. "Please!?"

Rowan sighed, knowing she wasn't going to give up on this until she got her way. And though he didn't want to admit it; he was excited to see what she could do as well.

"Alright, but only for a little while okay?" he conceded. "Daddy has work to finish up today."

Julia pumped her small fist into the air excitedly. "Yay!"

x--x

Once Rowan and Julia arrived at their secret practice area, she wasted no time in getting started.

She began by juggling several large rocks through the air with just the flick of her wrist. After a few flips through the air, she smashed them together, turning them to dust. With an undetectable transition, the dust began swirling through the air. It swirled in a circle, faster and faster. Rowan could see his daughter flexing her fingers as the dust flew around. After a few moments, it was swirling so fast it was heating up. With a few hand motions, Julia compressed the heated dust and formed a nearly perfect glass orb. She lowered the orb into her hands to present to Rowan.

Rowan was unable to hide the surprise on his face as he accepted the orb. It was nearly the size of his palm.

"Now watch this, Daddy!"

Julia placed a finger on each side of the orb, scrunching her face in concentration. With the orb, a swirl of color began to show. It was a rainbow of magical energy flowing around in the shape of an infinity symbol. As she twisted her fingers across the surface, the shape would dance and twirl in a beautiful display of color. Julia quickly pulled her fingers away, watching the display slowly fade from the lack of energy.

"That...That was amazing Julia!" Rowan spluttered. "How did you do that?"

Julia shrugged and then turned her attention to something else. She approached a pile of pebbles, pausing to think for a minute. She then raised both hands, focusing on the pile. In an instant, a tornado of magic energy appeared and sucked up the pile of pebbles. Rowan watched in awe as the energy became a rainbow of color just like with the orb. Julia moved her hands and flexed her fingers, making the tornado dance through the air.

But something was wrong. Rowan could suddenly sense something--something he couldn't quite identify. And then he saw it.

Julia was beginning to glow. And the tornado was growing bigger and more powerful. The pebbles had easily been reduced to dust and nearby debris was being swept up, meeting the same fate. The bigger it got, the brighter she glowed. Rowan suddenly realized what was happening. This was what the ancient text had warned him about.

If she kept going, she would die!

Without thinking, he plunged forward and tackled Julia. He hadn't meant to be so rough, but it was an instantaneous response.

"Ow! Daddy!" she complained as they got back to their feet. "Why did you do that?"

"I'm sorry sweetheart," he said. "Are you okay?"

Julia dusted herself and shrugged. "Yeah, no problem."

"Good, I think that's enough for now," said Rowan, as he got to his feet. "Lets head back home for a bit and then we can practice some more later. Sound good?"

"I guess..." said Julia, kicking at a stray pebble.

Rowan was eager to get back and record his findings. Even though this had been a short session, it wasn't lacking in content. So far Julia had done amazingly...far more amazing than he could have ever hoped.

And this was just the beginning.

x--x

When they made it back home, it was still early in the day--not even lunch time yet. Rowan sent Julia to her room to play and once he was sure she was occupied, he slipped into his hidden room. He wasted no time and began recording what he had witnessed. He reviewed his research on the Arc of Infinity, hoping to connect the feats Julia had performed earlier. A quickly written sidenote on the page caught his eye.

_If the user can understand it; the user can do it. _

Rowan leaned back in his chair, with realization on his face. Julia's abilities were only limited by how much she could learn and retain.

"That must be why it's called the Arc of Infinity..." he whispered to himself.

There was no physical limit on what Julia could do with this magic. The smarter she got; the stronger she would be. He sat in amazed silence for a moment.

He then remembered the moment Julia began to glow. A frown appeared on his face. If Julia couldn't control this is explosive power, then it would kill her. Plain and simple.

For the first time, in a very long time, Rowan was having second thoughts. But what was he to do?

He could try to teach her about control and hope that it would stick. And then maybe she would go on to be an amazing wizard.

Or...

He could rip her dreams right from under her. Put a stop to all things magic and forbid her from using it. Then she would be forever safe here at home...

**_NO._**

Rowan shook his head trying to dispel the chaotic thoughts. One thing was clear; Julia loved magic too much to give it up.

He sighed dismally, shaking his head. Maybe if he fixated the lacrima in her body, he could somehow control her magic output. Rowan retrieved another book from his shelf. He flipped through the pages until he found what he was looking for.

"Sacrificial Seal..." he whispered as he read. "A form of forgotten sealing magic with a higher cost than reward. The caster sacrifices his own life-force and magical power to form a type of limiting seal on another person's magic container. This seal acts as an emergency shut off switch, preventing the person from using magic past a certain set point. It can only be undone by the original caster--which is impossible since the caster sacrifices themself to create it. It was often used on high profile criminals who used their magic for wrong doing. That practice came to an end due to the whole caster cost. After that time period, it was used in black market practices on young children who displayed dangerous levels of magic power that could potentially turn fatal."

Rowan stopped reading, feeling conflicted. This was pretty much a dead end. Where would he find a person willing to do the spell? He replaced the book and slipped out of the room. He could hear Julia still playing up in her room. The odd zapping noise accompanied her play talk, letting him know she was using her magic some more.

"I guess the best way to practice is to use it," he said to himself with a smile.

There was a knock on the door, catching his attention. He looked around, a little confused; he hadn't been expecting guests. Rowan glanced at the clock. It was still early in the day.

There was a louder, more insistent knock. "Open up Wildstar! We know you're in there!"

The gruff voice sounded familiar, but Rowan couldn't quite place it. Another aggressive knock, propelled him to the door. With a deep breath, he opened the door a little.

"Ah, there you are," said the knocker. "What? You got no manners?"

Rowan immediately recognized the three men now pushing their way into the house. Julia was quiet, she must have heard the men. Rowan's eyes flicked to the stairs. Julia was peeking down them. He caught her eye and shook his head very slightly. She stood there a moment longer before she slid out of view.

The three men made themselves comfortable on the living room furniture. The one who knocked, turned his attention to Rowan.

"Rowan Wildstar," he said in his gruff voice. "Its been some time since we last had a chat, hasn't it?"

Rowan remained standing, his posture stiffening. "Five years...I see you haven't changed much since then Vago."

Vago sneered and shrugged. "Why mess with perfection? I trust you know why we're here?"

"I do," Rowan replied. "But its not ready. I told you, and your boss, it would take time--

"Five years seems like plenty of time," Vago interrupted. "And the word is; its ready enough."

Rowan hid his surprise. "And who told you this? I can assure you that its far from ready."

Vago stood up and took a step towards Rowan. "You didn't really think we wouldn't keep close tabs on you this entire time? I'm sure the timing of this visit is proof enough that we have accurate intel."

Rowan swallowed nervously, trying not to let anything show. He wasn't sure how much they actually knew and he didn't want to give anything away.

"Seems like someone went and got attached to his lab rat," Vago sneered. "Didn't we warn you about that?"

Rowan clenched his fists. _Damn, they do know..._

"Lets make this easy," said Vago, taking a seat. "Give us the brat and this doesn't get ugly."

"Daddy!"

Julia ran to Rowan, clutching his legs. Rowan closed his eyes, clenching his jaw. She couldn't have had worse timing.

"Speak of the devil," one of Vago's men grunted with a vicious smile.

Rowan pushed Julia behind him. This was quickly getting worse and he wasn't sure about what to do to get out of it. Vago rose to his feet once more, sneering at Julia.

"I will not keep repeating myself Wildstar," he growled.

"I'll give you the instructions," said Rowan. "You can start with another subject."

Vago glared at Rowan, taking a step towards him. "How about we take the brat _and _the instructions?"

Rowan glared back at Vago. This wasn't looking good.

"Daddy," Julia whispered, tugging at his shirt. "I'm scared..."

Vago sneered once again. "You should be."

Quicker than Rowan could react, Vago lashed out. His fist connected with Rowan's chest, sending him backwards into the wall. Julia went tumbling aside as her father fell back. She let out a small yelp and covered her head in fear.

Rowan recovered quickly, blocking Vago's next punch. He grasped the fist in his own hand, but Vago was undeterred. With a growl, magical energy surged down his arm and pulsed into Rowan. It pushed him through the wall, making Julia yell again. Vago wasted no time and plunged after Rowan, throwing punch after punch. With a stroke of good timing, Rowan countered Vago and landed a blow of his own. The pair tumbled back into the living room, thrashing about.

"Guess we're doing this the hard way!" Vago declared as he pinned Rowan down. "I'm going to enjoy this."

"_NOOOO!!"_

Julia's scream caught Vago's attention. He looked over at her, intending to yell at her but instead fell silent.

"Wha-?"

A rainbow vortex of energy had suddenly sprang up around young Julia. Her eyes were glowing bright purple as she stood in the raging whirlwind. Rowan's eyes widened. It was happening again.

The vortex gained intensity and power at an alarming rate. It wasn't long before it began sweeping up everything around it. Vago and his men jumped back, startled by this sudden display of power.

"No Julia!" Rowan yelled over the noise. "Calm down, please!"

But Julia couldn't hear him. Rowan looked around, stunned to see that the walls of their home were gone. He power had already begun sweeping up other houses. People were running in fear. Rowan turned his attention back to Julia. Her body was beginning to glow.

Rowan's eye widened. "Oh no! No Julia!"

He could hear her crying over the roar of the destruction. He cursed and began pushing his way into the vortex. He had to snap her out of it. It felt like it was taking too long to push through. She had already demolished a large part of the town. But why wasn't there any other people?

"No she can't!" he growled. "Not the people too! _JULIA!!_"

Chunks of stone, wood, and various other debris swirled in a humongous vortex of colorful energy. Rowan was quickly becoming desperate. And then an idea struck him. But was it really worth it?

A large crash caught his attention. A large section of a house soared by, splitting into pieces as it was assimilated into the vortex.

"_Crap...I don't have any other choice..."_

Rowan took a deep breath and plunged into the maelstrom. He fought his way through the debris, finally reaching Julia. She was sobbing hysterically and glowing brighter and brighter.

"I'm sorry," he said, fixing his stance. "This is the only way..."

With a few quick hand motions, he cast the spell he never thought he would...

His body glowed and time seemed to stop. Julia came out of her trance in time to see Rowan disappear in a cloud of energy. It struck her chest, causing her to collapse. She yelled in agony as a sort of symbol was etched onto her skin.

And then it was done. She fell unconscious; and the destruction stopped. Less than half the town remained. The people were gone. And Julia was now alone.

**X--x--X**

**Alright guys here it is! The Astraluna Incident! Hope you enjoy!**

**Rhys**


	13. Chapter 12

**Okay gang, now that we know how Astraluna was leveled, we have to now learn more about Julia's past. What did Rowan intend to do with Julia in the first place? And who was Vago? Guess we'll have to just find out...**

**Rhys**

**X--x--X**

As Gemini/Julia finished retelling the events in Astraluna, the entire group sat in shocked silence. Lucy and Mirajane were in tears. Gemini remained for a few more moments before disappearing back to the Spirit World.

"What an awful tragedy," Makarov said quietly. "This poor girl has suffered far more than I could have ever imagined."

Mirajane was the first to go back to Julia's bed. She tugged gently at her shirt, looking for the mark.

"Lucy, she stayed the night with you," said Mirajane. "Did you see the mark Gemini mentioned?"

"No..."

Lucy joined Mirajane, watching her friend examine the young girl. They found nothing, but did manage to rouse Julia from her slumber.

The girl rubbed her eyes, groaning. She felt the bed around her and began to panic. They realized she was searching for Harry.

"Hey, hey," Lucy said gently. "Its okay. You're at the guild. Harry is back at my house, remember?"

Julia's eyes darted back and forth, before Lucy's words seem to reach her. She looked back and forth at Lucy and then Mirajane as she calmed down. They all sat in silence, unsure about what to say. What could they say?

"Lucy?" Julia's voice was quiet. "What happened? Why do you all look sad?"

"You had a...bit of an accident," said Mirajane. "We were just worried about you."

Julia sat up, yawning and stretching. "I feel fine! Can I have something to eat?"

Before anyone could protest, she hopped out of bed and took Mirajane's hand. She tugged on it, offering her cutest smile.

"Sure!" Mirajane replied, allowing herself to be tugged from the infirmary.

Once they were gone, Lucy turned immediately to look at Natsu. "Next time you think about trying to cure Julia's phobia; I will strap you to a seat on a train that never stops!"

Natsu threw his hands up, laughing nervously. "Okay, okay! I won't!"

"What do we do now Master?" Lucy asked. "If she doesn't have any family..."

"Guess she's got a new family now," said Natsu matter of factly. Everyone turned to look at him. He smiled. "Fairy Tail."

"Natsu is right," Makarov said. "I guess the care of the girl falls to us. But just to be sure, Erza I want you to return to Astraluna and see if you can dig up anything about her extended family. Just in case someone _is_ looking for her."

"I'll leave tomorrow morning," she replied. "Natsu, Gray are you coming?"

"I will," Gray replied.

"Me too--

"Actually," Lucy interrupted. "I need to take a job since I've got another mouth to feed now, so I'm going to need you and Happy tomorrow."

Natsu paused, processing her words before flashing a big grin and a thumbs up. "You got it! I'll go pick one out!"

He dashed from the room just as Mirajane returned with Julia. She dashed over to Lucy and grabbed her legs. She hugged them, looking up at her new guardian.

Lucy knelt down, placing her hands on Julia's shoulders. "How does that sound to you?"

"What?"

"Would you like it if Fairy Tail was your home now?"

Julia fell silent, looking down at her feet. She began wringing her hands as she thought.

"But...my daddy," she said in the smallest voice.

Lucy pulled her into a hug. "We're going to look for him, but until we find him; we'll keep you safe okay?"

"Okay..."

x--x

_Later that night..._

Lucy was getting her things all packed as Julia was settling into the bed. The girl was a bit solemn since Lucy had explained that she was going out on a job tomorrow. Initially Julia had begun getting upset at Lucy, but had settled down once she said that Mirajane would be keeping her until Lucy's return.

"I'll only be gone a couple days," said Lucy. "Mira will take good care of you until I get back." When Julia didn't reply, she looked over at her. "What's wrong?"

Julia was tucked into bed, her face buried in Harry. Lucy sighed and closed her suitcase before climbing into the bed.

"Are you going to find my daddy tomorrow?" Julia asked.

"No, but Erza and Gray are," Lucy replied. "I'm going with Natsu and Happy on a job. Its how I make money to keep my house and get food."

"Oh yeah, you're a guild wizard aren't you?"

Lucy nodded. "Exactly. Now, you need to get some sleep. We have to meet Mira early in the morning."

It had been several hours since Julia had fallen asleep. Lucy was still awake, watching her sleep. Every now and then, Julia would groan and flinch in response to whatever dream she was currently having. Lucy tenderly brushed a strand of hair from Julia's face. The girl curled around Harry some more as she scrunched closer to Lucy.

Lucy couldn't resist and pulled her into a cradling embrace. Julia sighed and curled into the embrace. She seemed to relax a bit more. What was it about this little girl that had captured her heart so quickly? How did she already feel such love for this child?

This was crazy.

But she didn't care.

Slowly Lucy let her eyes close and drifted off to sleep with a smile on her face.

The sun was just barely above the horizon as Lucy and Julia made their way to the guild. Julia was still rubbing the sleep from her eyes as they went. She had Harry tucked under one arm, her backpack slung over her shoulders, and her hand gripped Lucy's as they walked.

"Its so early..." Julia whined with a yawn.

"I told you we had to leave early," Lucy replied. "But you can take a nap at the guild."

Julia frowned. "Not in the infirmary..."

"No silly, in your hideout that Mira made for you."

"Oh yeah!" Julia brightened up.

They made it to Fairy Tail a few minutes later; Julia dashing up to the door upon arrival. The small girl shoved against the door and burst inside.

"Mira!"

Julia sprinted across the guild hall and trundled into Mirajane's legs with joyful giggle. In a flash, Mirajane had scooped her into her arms receiving a tight hug.

"You're certainly energetic for so early in the morning," Mirajane cooed.

"Go put Harry in your hideout," said Lucy as she walked up. "We don't want anything to happen to him so he should probably stay in there until you go home with Mira, okay?"

Julia pouted, but made her way to her little hideout. She shed her backpack and tucked Harry away before waking back to Lucy and Mirajane. Lucy knelt down and placed her hands on Julia's shoulders.

"You be good and listen to Mira," she instructed. "I'll be back before you know it."

She held out her arms for a hug. Julia hesitated before wrapping her arms tightly around Lucy's neck.

"Promise?" Julia whispered as she hugged Lucy.

"I promise."


	14. Chapter 13: fluff n stuff

Chapter 13: Fluff 'N' Stuff

Julia stayed close to Mira-jane for the first hour or so she was at the guild. It didn't take long for her to relax and begin running and playing. Mirajane kept a close eye on who she interacted with just in case Julia got scared.

So far, so good.

It wasn't until about one in the afternoon that Mirajane had found that Julia had suddenly disappeared. She carefully scanned the hall, but to no avail. Her face became troubled as she set down her tray, still looking for Julia. She quickly and quietly made her way down the hallway, checking each of the rooms, but without luck. Mirajane returned to guild hall and paused to think. After a second, she noticed Cana pointing to the bar.

_Of __course!_

She sighed with relief upon seeing Julia nestled into her little hideout. The little girl blinked a few times and looked up at Mirajane.

"What's wrong Mira?" Julia asked tiredly.

Mirajane smiled and shook her head. "Nothing, just making sure you were okay."

"Oh okay," Julia yawned, closing her eyes.

Mirajane stood up and took a deep breath to calm her frazzled nerves. The last thing she wanted was for Julia to be triggered. After that fearsome display the other day, Mirajane was determined that there be no repeat of the situation. It was for the safety of everyone; Julia included.

\--

It was about six in the evening when Mirajane finished her shift. Julia had already voiced the fact that she was hungry not that long ago so the timing worked out well. She wasted no time in gathering her belongings and returning to Mirajane once their departure had been announced.

"Lets drop your things at my house first," said Mirajane, taking Julia's hand. "Then we can go out and get food. Does that sound good?"

Julia didn't hesitate. "Yeah, sure does!" She punctuated her agreement with a fist pump into the air.

Mirajane smiled down at her and led her out of the guild. They walked contentedly in silence as they made their way to Mirajane's home. Occasionally Julia would skip a few steps while she hummed. She also made sure to grip Mirajane's hand firmly so she wouldn't get separated. Mirajane couldn't tell if it was from nerves, excitement, or both.

"Here we go!" Mirajane proclaimed as she unlocked the door.

Julia slowly followed her, keeping close until the light was turned on. As soon as she could see, she began dashing around to all the rooms. Mirajane directed her attention to the smaller of rooms.

"This will be your room!"

She turned the light on and let Julia rush in. Without hesitation, she tossed Harry and her bag onto the bed. Julia turned a few circles, looking at every inch of the room.

"This is all for me?" she asked, looking back at Mirajane now.

"Uh-huh!" replied Mirajane. "For whenever you're at my house, this room is all yours!"

Julia hugged her guardian fiercely. "That's so cool Mira! Can we go eat now?"

The eldest Strauss tossed her head back and laughed heartily. "Of course!"

\--

It was just about ten-thirty that night; Mirajane Strauss found herself peeking into Julia's room. The orphan girl had eaten enough to feed Natsu and then crashed not long after returning home. It had been a stumbly sleepwalking dance to get her into her pajamas; Harry was grabbed and snuggled as soon as her head hit the pillow.

Mirajane had waited an hour to ensure Julia had indeed fell asleep. Once she felt certain, she left the door cracked and slipped into her own room. She shut the door, just to change. When she reopened it, she turned off her light and got into her own bed. She had just settled down and was dozing off when she heard the quiet pitter-patter of little feet. The weight on her bed shifted as Julia hauled herself and Harry into the bed. Mirajane finally looked over at her, a knowing smile breaking across her face. Julia was sleepily rubbing her eye as she crawled closer to Mirajane.

"What's wrong sweetie?" Mirajane whispered, helping her get beneath the blankets.

"Sleep with you," Julia mumbled as she settled into Mirajane's embrace. "Just like Lucy..."

Mirajane accepted the child with a contented sigh. It wasn't long before Julia had gone back to sleep. And Mirajane was soon to follow.

\--

The next morning Mirajane awoke feeling stiff and slightly disoriented. She blinked several times, stretching out her arms and legs. But her left arm bumped into something instead of stretching out. She looked over, a bit confused, but once she realized it was Julia, the memories of last night came flooding back. A smile graced her face as she stealthily slipped from the bed, re-tucked Julia in with Harry, and then snuck out to the living room.

"Just like when Lisanna and Elfman were little," Mirajane whispered to herself as she set about making coffee. Once brewed, she prepared herself a cup just as she liked, and settled down with the day's newspaper. Ten minutes passed by before she heard a little voice.

"Mira?"

Julia pushed the door open and stepped out of the bedroom. She had Harry tucked beneath one arm while the other was busy rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Good morning Julia," Mirajane greeted. "Did you sleep good?"

Julia nodded drowsily, pulling herself onto the couch. "Yep, your bed is bigger than Lucy's."

_And yet you slept right under me the entire night,_ Mirajane thought with amusement. Besides it wasn't like she didn't sort of enjoy it a little bit.

"Are you hungry?"

Julia nodded eagerly, ditching Harry on the couch and jumping onto a chair at the table. She stretched her arm across the table to point. "I like that cereal Mira!"

"Coming right up!" Mirajane chirped as she gave Julia what she asked for. She sat back down and watched Julia shovel spoonful after spoonful into her mouth. For someone so small, she sure could eat!

"What are we doing today?" Julia asked through a mouthful.

"Don't talk with food in your mouth!" Mirajane chided, wiping the child's face playfully. "But I don't have to work at the guild today, so what would you like to do?"

Julia shoved another spoonful into her mouth as she hummed and began to think. After several chews, she looked back at Mirajane with a big smile; food and all.

"Is there a playground somewhere?" Julia said as small chunks of food went flying. She covered her mouth with her hands, giggling at herself. "Oops, sorry Mira!"

Mirajane sighed and shook her head with a smile. "Yes, we can go to the park _if_ you stop talking with food in your mouth."

The girls shared a giggle before Julia went back to scarfing her breakfast. As soon as she finished, she hopped from her chair surprising Mirajane as she floated down gracefully. In stunned silence, she watched as Julia danced back and forth through air as if she were weightless.

"Um...Julia," Mirajane stuttered, causing Julia to stop and look back at her. "Why don't you go get dressed?"

With an award winning smile, she ran to her room and shut the door. In that split second, Mirajane was suddenly wary about what attire Julia would pick.

"Oh my..." Mirajane murmured. "Guess it doesn't really matter..."

Quickly, she dressed herself and awaited Julia's unveiling. Mirajane was rewarded a short moment later, as Julia finally came out. With a deep sigh of great relief, Julia was dressed as a normal child. She had put on a simple shirt and shorts with her sneakers, which were also not tied.

"I used to could tie them," she explained as she approached Mirajane. "But I can't no more."

"Why not?" Mirajane asked as she began tying the laces. Julia only shrugged in response.

"I don't know. It all just stopped working."

"What do you mean?"

Mirajane looked up at Julia as she demonstrated. She wiggled her arms a little in the direction of her shoes, but nothing happened.

_I get it._ Mirajane thought. _She used magic to do it, but since she's scared of magic she can't do it now..._

"Oh you mean like this," said Mirajane, using her magic to tie Julia's shoe. She held her breath as she waited for Julia to respond.

Julia's bright green eyes were darting back and forth, growing wider by the second. Mirajane grabbed Julia's shoulders and gave her a small shake. It seemed to wake Julia from her trance and Mirajane pulled her into a hug.

"I'm sorry," Mirajane whispered. "You don't have to be scared of magic...I will _never_ hurt you. And neither will Lucy and the others. Do you understand?"

Julia silently stared into Mirajane's eyes for a moment before cracking a smile and returning the hug.

"We get to go to the park now yeah?" Julia asked, as if nothing had ever happened.

Mirajane chose to overlook that quirk for the moment. "Sure thing sweetie!"

**X--x--X**

**Okay guys, we getting all fluffy with this installment. Might be a trend for the next few chapters until I decide on which puzzle pieces to drop for you guys.**

**As always, read and review puh-lease and thank ya!**

**Rhys**


	15. Chapter 14

Mirajane watched as Julia ran and played with the other children. She could see magic being used all around Julia, but the young girl never showed any signs of it bothering her. She couldn't decide if Julia was simply ignoring it or had yet to notice it. Either way, Mirajane wasn't about to mention it and ruin her fun.

Every now and then a person would stop and chat briefly before continuing on with their day. It wasn't abnormal, considering Fairy Tail's reputation--and her own from days past. More than once, the passerby would ask which one was hers. She found that just pointing out Julia was far easier than explaining the situation over and over.

"Mira, Mira!" Julia called as she ran up. "Did you see me!?"

"See what?" Mirajane replied.

Julia groaned and seized Mirajane's hand, tugging her into the playground area. She led them to a very tall slide that twisted down like a corkscrew.

"Watch!" Julia ordered as she ran to the ladder and began to climb.

Fearlessly, Julia scaled the ladder and plunged down the slide. She let out a hoot of joy as she slid down and then raced back over to Mirajane.

"You saw me that time right!?"

Mirajane laughed. "I sure did! That was quite a tall slide!"

Julia beamed at her, glanced back at the slide, and then faced Mirajane again. "I'm hungry..."

Mirajane held out her hand. "Well then lets go eat!"

\--

It was a quiet little sandwich shop, just off on a side street in Magnolia. It wasn't super fancy, but it was peaceful and had some good food. They ordered rather quickly and as soon as their food arrived, Julia wasted no time inhaling it. She moved straight onto dessert and finished that just as Mirajane finished her own meal.

"Are you full now?" Mirajane teased as she paid the bill.

Julia nodded eagerly, taking a sip from her drink. "Yes, thanks Mira!"

She watched as Julia wiped her mouth and piled her dishes into a neat stack.

"Do you feel like talking with me a little bit before we go?" Mirajane asked.

"About what?" Julia replied with a tilted head.

"I..." Mirajane paused, choosing her words carefully. "I just want to get to know you a little better is all."

"Oh ok!"

Mirajane handed Julia some paper and crayons. "Here, you can draw while we talk."

Julia happily accepted the offering and immediately began scribbling.

"Do you like being at Fairy Tail?"

"Yeah, everyone is nice to me."

"And what do you think about Lucy?"

Julia stopped drawing to think for a minute. Her bright green eyes gazed up at the sky as she tapped her crayon on her cheek.

"I really like Lucy!" she finally answered. "And you too! You guys are what I think mommies are like!"

"You didn't have a mother?"

Julia shrugged, returning her focus to her drawing. "I can't remember her. I only ever had Daddy."

Mirajane watched Julia finish one paper and switch to a new, blank one. She looked over her crayons, deciding on a color. After a few seconds of indecision, she finally plucked one from the pile and resumed drawing. Mirajane leaned forward and lowered her voice.

"This morning, when I tied your shoes," she said carefully. "Did my magic scare you?"

Julia stopped mid-drawing and looked up at Mirajane. For a moment, it seemed as though Julia was far older than just five. Her normally sparkling green eyes were dark with seriousness. Mirajane didn't wait for an answer.

"Can you tell me why you're scared of magic?"

Julia's face seemed blank as she stared at Mirajane. She couldn't decipher what was going on in her head. She was almost certain Julia would change the subject, but was surprised instead.

"Because," Julia whispered as she turned her gaze downward. Her hand moved to grasp her shirt on the right side of her collarbone. "...it took everything from me..."

For a second, Mirajane didn't know how to reply.

"So, does that mean you remember what happened?"

Julia's fingers tightened on her shirt as tears began to fall down her cheeks. Mirajane worried that she had asked the wrong question.

"Oh sweetie, no!" she said quickly, looking for a napkin. "I didn't mean to make you cry!"

"He did this..." she whispered. "All that's left..."

Mirajane moved around the table and knelt beside Julia. She pulled her hand away and slowly pulled the collar of Julia's shirt down. But there was nothing there.

"Did what sweetie?" Mirajane asked, studying Julia's face intently.

"It only shows when I mess up," the girl replied quietly. "Hurts...makes me sleepy..."

"What does?" Mirajane asked quietly. "What are you talking about?"

Julia remained silent, staring down at the table. She seemed frozen. Mirajane reached out, taking Julia's hands.

"Julia...?"

Julia snapped out of her trance, her eyes sparkling bright green once again.

"When do you think Lucy will get back?" she asked.

Mirajane stared at Julia, slightly baffled by the abrupt change in emotions. She didn't linger and moved back into her seat, making mental notes along the way.

Julia returned to drawing, but Mirajane could see that it was simply to avoid making eye contact. She was no longer happily scribbling, but absentmindedly doodling as though her mind was elsewhere.

_This may be a little more complicated than we __perceived,_thought Mirajane.

**X--x--X**

**Okay guys, here's the next installment! More fluff, with a zing of insight. We're getting close to our next big arc/reveal. Just bear with me a bit longer and I promise to deliver!**

**Rhys**


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